Kerala issues guidelines for parading elephants in festivals

Thiruvananthapuram, Jun 25 (UNI) The Kerala Government today issued guidelines for taking care of elephants and parading them in temple festivals in the wake of frequent elephant attacks in the state.

A decision in this regard was taken at a meeting of Cooperation Minister G Sudhakaran with the Devaswom Officials, Forests Minister Binoy Viswam, and forest officials, a release here said.

The festival committees were allowed to parade the elephants only in the traditional temple festivals and not in new festivals.

A committee, comprising District Collector, District Police Superintendent, District Forest Officer and a Devaswom member, should be constituted to oversee the festival activities, the government said.

It also issued directions to 'mahouts' to allow the pachyderms to stand on wet sacks and provide them adequate food and water during the festivals.

The festival committees should ensure security of the elephants and a bond in this regard should be signed with the elephant owners, it said.

It also suggested that a third party insurance should be taken to provide compensation in case of any attack by the elephant and a public liability insurance should also be made compulsory if more than five elephants were paraded in the festivals.